104 
a row of irregular, thin, flexuous, scale-like spines, the back of each 
being ornamented with scarlet, the only portion of colour in the 
shell ; the surface is remarkable in being covered with a number of 
sharp prickles, particularly within and around the umbilicus. 
Mr. Reeve also described a new species of the genus Murez. 
Murex Stainrortuit. Mur. testd subsolidd, globoso-ovatd vix 
fusiformi, multivaricosd, superficie pallido-aurantia, epidermide 
tenut indutd, transversim liratd, liris fusco-lineatis ; spird bre- 
viusculd, apice subobtuso ; anfractibus quinque, suturis indistinc- 
tis; anfractu ultimo varicibus octo ornato, ceteris, varicibus 
decorticatis, feré obsoletis ; varicibus per totam longitudinem den- 
sissimeé frondosis, frondibus acutissimis, recurvis ; canali brevi, 
latiusculo ; apertura rotundd, fauce crenulatd, politd, utrinque 
vivide aurantid. 
Long. 2,; lat. 15 im. Mus. Inwood. 
Hab. ago 
The very beautiful and characteristic shell above described has 
been handed to us by its fortunate possessor, Henry Inwood, Esq., 
accompanied with a request that it be named in honour of one of our 
most assiduous collectors, the Rev. Mr. Stainforth. And it is with 
no little pleasure that we have executed the task; for a shell more 
chaste in its colour and development, or more striking in its specific 
character, we do not remember to have seen. It is of a solid and 
somewhat globose structure, and is profusely ornamented with va- 
rices; there are eight distinct varices on the last whorl, and the re- 
mains of a similar number are visible on each of the former; but in 
the specimen before us, and which we believe to be unique, they are 
so decorticated as to have become almost obsolete. Each varix ap- 
pears to have been formed by the sudden development of a number 
of coatings laid successively one upon the other. The edge of each 
of these coatings is then ornamented with a row of fine prickly 
branches, recurved back over the shell, and they only remain perfect 
to the last coating in consequence of those of the previous or under 
coatings having been necessarily in part removed or absorbed ; unless 
indeed the under coatings are too rapidly developed, the one over 
the other, to allow of their marginal branches attaining the regularity 
and beauty of the last. The varix altogether has thus the appear- 
ance of being thickly studded from top to bottom with these delicate 
prickles : so delicately indeed are they formed, that it is only on the 
last or marginal varix of the shell that they remain in perfect order ; 
in tracing them back round the body whorl, they may be observed 
to have become gradually more and more eroded. Should a speci- 
men of this shell be found with all the varices in the same beautiful 
order as the marginal varix in this, it would indeed be “fair to look 
upon.” ‘The canal is rather short; the outer lip is strongly crenu- 
lated, and the crenule extend within the mouth of the shell, the 
whole of them, together with the broad columella, being covered 
with a highly polished orange enamel. 
